How Many Euros & Dollars??

I am going to be visiting Amsterdam, as well as Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia and Germany on my upcoming cruise.

For those who have had experience with this sort of thing, how much cash should I bring with me in Euros and Dollars?

I know there are many points of view on this subject, and I am interested in hearing what everyone has to say.

I want to bring enough Euros, but not too much. At the same time, I want to be sure that I am not short of cash in either Euros or Dollars.

I am going to post this on the Western Europe page as well.

Thanks for your help.

As mentioned on your other post, it is very difficult to answer your questions, as we don't know your spending habits and travel plans. Day stop in a port, as opposed to an overnight, hotel, etc, changes things considerably.

Also as mentioned, credit cards work just fine...read the MANY threads on PIN and chip credit cards. However, many places will not take credit cards for small purchases, like under 20 or 25 euros.

Your questions are discussed frequently here. Lots of info your your reading.

yeah, it's hard. I'm not bringing any currency other than the little bit I had left over from previous visits to Norway, Denmark, Britain and some euros. I'm using a prepaid debit card and a credit card with no foreign transaction fee. I've done several cruises in Europe and I don't feel that I need to bring a bunch of currency.

We never bring any currency overseas. We always withdraw as needed from a bank ATM. Headed to Moscow and from there to Stockholm and onto the Silhouette next week. We have some Euros left over from our last trip so we will bring those, but plan to withdraw Rubles (as we will have several independent days in both Moscow and St. Pete), but hope to avoid withdrawing Swedish or Danish kroner and make do with credit cards there. I would assume your ship's casino will accept dollars as you are sailing HAL, but I'm not sure. We will bring about $2-300 in US Dollars for emergency/casino/extra tip purposes.

The normal way to get cash in Europe (for both Europeans and most visitors) is out of ATMs....which are everywhere. Most US issued ATM/Debit cards work fine. Just check with your bank, let them know about your itinerary (for security purposes), and if you do need more Euros or other currencies (several of your countries have their own currency) you can just use the ATMs. Dollars or Euros will usually be OK in Russia (there are a few places that only take Rubles). Keep in mind that Norway, Denmark and Sweden each have their own currency. While Euros are often accepted...you may not get a very good exchange rate. Credit cards are also widely accepted, but the standard in Europe are Chip/PIN cards which are rare in the USA. A USA issued credit card (usually Chip/Signature) will often work...but sometimes it will be rejected.

Hank

Spb will take dollars but none of the other ports. Euros only in Germany, Stockholm and Denmark have their own currency but larger restaurants and hoho will take euros.

Good information on a subject that is very difficult to figure out. We have kept track over the years of the spending habits while in port, however, we don't have any experience in the European market other than Italy, Greece, Spain and France.

We still have over 70 days to figure it out.

We took $US2000 and 1500 euros to Europe. We paid the bill on the ship in US and brought the rest home. We went through all the euros but we had two weeks in Italy before our 20 night cruise. We got another 500 euros out of an ATM and used the credit cards quite a lot.

But we avoid using ATMs if we can for two reasons. The fees for us are high and if it does get swallowed, as has happened to a few friends, it is hard to get replaced from Australia quickly.

We accept the risk of carrying cash and it mostly lives in the hotel or ship safe. we find it far ore convenient to have cash at hand and we buy it at home when the rate is good.

The normal way to get cash in Europe (for both Europeans and most visitors) is out of ATMs....which are everywhere. Most US issued ATM/Debit cards work fine. Just check with your bank, let them know about your itinerary (for security purposes), and if you do need more Euros or other currencies (several of your countries have their own currency) you can just use the ATMs. Dollars or Euros will usually be OK in Russia (there are a few places that only take Rubles). Keep in mind that Norway, Denmark and Sweden each have their own currency. While Euros are often accepted...you may not get a very good exchange rate. Credit cards are also widely accepted, but the standard in Europe are Chip/PIN cards which are rare in the USA. A USA issued credit card (usually Chip/Signature) will often work...but sometimes it will be rejected.

 

Hank

You mention that "A USA issued credit card...will often work...but sometimes it will be rejected." Are you saying that my credit card, issued by a US bank, might be rejected, and that, as a result, I might be caught unawares?

How embarrassing that would be!!

I lived in Europe for several years and have traveled there as a tourist many, many times. Although technically it's possible to have your credit card rejected, I have NEVER had my U.S.-issued credit card rejected. I wouldn't worry about it. (Just notify your bank of your travel plans so they don't flag your card for suspicious activity.)

I have also used my debit/ATM card all over Europe without incident. Personally, I can't imagine taking a huge wad of cash just to avoid ATM fees. Not only is carrying so much money unsafe, it's unwieldy.

On our Baltic cruise last summer, we probably took a couple hundred of US dollars and no other currency. We easily obtained euros and Danish krone from the ATMs. (We just used a credit card for our day in Stockholm, so we didn't buy any krona.)

You mention that "A USA issued credit card...will often work...but sometimes it will be rejected." Are you saying that my credit card, issued by a US bank, might be rejected, and that, as a result, I might be caught unawares?

 

How embarrassing that would be!!

Yes, that is what I am saying. It has happened to us more in Northern Europe then in the more Southern Med area. The problem is it can happen when you least expect it...so we normally have enough cash to cover a tab (just in case). And sometimes the rejection problem becomes epidemic :). It happened to us about 3 years ago when we were staying in Brugge for a few days. We arrived at our upscale B&B, only to be told by the owner that his local bank would no longer accept non chip-PIN US cards (we now have a chip/pin but did not at the time). So we needed hundreds of Euros to pay for our B&B..which we were able to get from a few ATM withdrawals. Then that same night we went to a good restaurant, and they also could accept our cards (and we had AMEX, 2 Visas and a MC) for the same reason (probably the same bank).

But the bigger problem with US cards are with various automatic machines (we mentioned this earlier) which becomes a big problem for those of us who use rental cars. Many parking lots (and meters) now use credit cards...but only Chip/PIN cards. And 2 years ago it was impossible to use any of our credit cards in Rotterdam...to purchase train tickets (to nearby Delft) since the Dutch train system would only accept US non chip/PIN cards at the Amsterdam Centrale Station. We got a big apology from the ticket office manager (at the Rotterdam station) who said it caused him grief every day.

We could go on and on with first hand experiences...some quite embarrassing. The problem (for us) has been that just when we feel confident that at least one of our credit cards will work...they don't! And when you are at an Autostrade toll booth (with 5 cars behind you) and all your cards are rejected....it does become quite a problem :). Or, when you are trying to drive out of the TGV Station parking lot in Avignon, and the cards all fail...and its impossible to back up (cars crowded behind) or go forward that is also "fun." Of when you nearly run out of gas at night...because all the nearby gas stations are totally automated (no humans at night) and none of the cards will activate the pump....and the cash reader is out of order..... Always a challenge....and a lot of fun :)

Hank

Yes, that is what I am saying. It has happened to us more in Northern Europe then in the more Southern Med area. The problem is it can happen when you least expect it...so we normally have enough cash to cover a tab (just in case). And sometimes the rejection problem becomes epidemic :). It happened to us about 3 years ago when we were staying in Brugge for a few days. We arrived at our upscale B&B, only to be told by the owner that his local bank would no longer accept non chip-PIN US cards (we now have a chip/pin but did not at the time). So we needed hundreds of Euros to pay for our B&B..which we were able to get from a few ATM withdrawals. Then that same night we went to a good restaurant, and they also could accept our cards (and we had AMEX, 2 Visas and a MC) for the same reason (probably the same bank).

 

But the bigger problem with US cards are with various automatic machines (we mentioned this earlier) which becomes a big problem for those of us who use rental cars. Many parking lots (and meters) now use credit cards...but only Chip/PIN cards. And 2 years ago it was impossible to use any of our credit cards in Rotterdam...to purchase train tickets (to nearby Delft) since the Dutch train system would only accept US non chip/PIN cards at the Amsterdam Centrale Station. We got a big apology from the ticket office manager (at the Rotterdam station) who said it caused him grief every day.

 

We could go on and on with first hand experiences...some quite embarrassing. The problem (for us) has been that just when we feel confident that at least one of our credit cards will work...they don't! And when you are at an Autostrade toll booth (with 5 cars behind you) and all your cards are rejected....it does become quite a problem :). Or, when you are trying to drive out of the TGV Station parking lot in Avignon, and the cards all fail...and its impossible to back up (cars crowded behind) or go forward that is also "fun." Of when you nearly run out of gas at night...because all the nearby gas stations are totally automated (no humans at night) and none of the cards will activate the pump....and the cash reader is out of order..... Always a challenge....and a lot of fun :)

 

Hank

Thanks for the info, Hank. I was warned almost a year ago that on this upcoming trip we would not be able to use credit cards with magnetic strips. In addition, very quickly, almost every retail business here in NC that takes credit cards is not asking people to use chip cards (if they have them).

ALL of our credit cards and my debit card have the chip.

Thanks again.

Thanks for the info, Hank. I was warned almost a year ago that on this upcoming trip we would not be able to use credit cards with magnetic strips. In addition, very quickly, almost every retail business here in NC that takes credit cards is not asking people to use chip cards (if they have them).

 

ALL of our credit cards and my debit card have the chip.

 

Thanks again.

Everything has changed in the USA...in the past year since MC and Visa forced the issue. But the new US-issued cards are almost all Chip/Signature rather then the Chip/PIN standard used around the world. But the Chip/Signature cards do work in most of Europe where there are humans to deal with the Signature...and if their system is working. Even in some vending machines, a Chip/Signature will work if the amount if the total amount is below a certain amount (this seems to vary). When that happens, it will just accept your card without a PIN. But if a machine asks for a PIN and you have none....then it will not work. And in some places (like the Northern France toll booths) it will simply reject US cards...even if you have a PIN.

The good news is that things seem to be getting better. On our recent 2 month European trip (all in the Med area) we never had any problem using our credit cards. Am heading back to Northern Europe next month...and we shall see :).

Hank

I lived in Europe for several years and have traveled there as a tourist many, many times. Although technically it's possible to have your credit card rejected, I have NEVER had my U.S.-issued credit card rejected. I wouldn't worry about it. (Just notify your bank of your travel plans so they don't flag your card for suspicious activity.)

 

I have also used my debit/ATM card all over Europe without incident. Personally, I can't imagine taking a huge wad of cash just to avoid ATM fees. Not only is carrying so much money unsafe, it's unwieldy.

 

On our Baltic cruise last summer, we probably took a couple hundred of US dollars and no other currency. We easily obtained euros and Danish krone from the ATMs. (We just used a credit card for our day in Stockholm, so we didn't buy any krona.)

If we withdraw at an ATM from our main bank the fee is 5% plus at least $5. Using the credit card costs 3%.We use a credit union card with lower fees if possible. But it is a credit and debit card and that was rejected by the first hotel on our last trip in Italy.

We were with friends in Italy a couple of years ago when the ATM swallowed their card. My husband, who speaks Italian, had to go the next morning and basically beg them to return it as they already lost another card. Another friend had his card swallowed in Florence.

We find cash is convenient and when we paid in cash on our recent cruise we saw many people doing the same.

The problem now is that much of Europe has almost turned its back on cash. In London now you can't pay cash on buses any more. Contactless cards are the norm now even in coffee shops for small purchases, only market stalls really deal in cash exclusively. Pubs largely accept debit cards or have ATM's ( but beware these are not usually free ones ), cash carrying is rarer. TfL is now mainly oyster or day passes. Chequers are almost a thing of the past and not accepted in retailers. Garages for fuel expect debit / credit card payments. If you do pay cash lack of change is often an issue especially a lack of £5 notes.

The euro also means you do not have dual currency tills in many places as in the past, where near borders, 2 or more currencies were regularly accepted e.g. France/Belgium or Austria/ Germany. Now in these places prefer card payments, for travellers other currencies are less available , especially outside London. Travellers chequers are no longer really used.

On top of this is still the issue of Americans especially who want to pay in $US, which may be accepted at a few international type shops, but usually at a terrible rate.

Half price tkts theatre ticket booth in London used to be a cash payment location, now accepts cards and when there recently was the only person paying cash. In France last summer had built up o lot of small shrapnel, went into banks to try to change over to €1/€2 coins, they had no facility for this at all, just payment points and ATM's, no old fashioned counters and few staff, just a banking hall rather than an ATM's in the street and one troubleshooting person helping at the machines, many PO's are also automated.

Rapid changes in this area, all travellers need to be aware.

The problem now is that much of Europe has almost turned its back on cash. In London now you can't pay cash on buses any more. Contactless cards are the norm now even in coffee shops for small purchases, only market stalls really deal in cash exclusively. Pubs largely accept debit cards or have ATM's ( but beware these are not usually free ones ), cash carrying is rarer. TfL is now mainly oyster or day passes. Chequers are almost a thing of the past and not accepted in retailers. Garages for fuel expect debit / credit card payments. If you do pay cash lack of change is often an issue especially a lack of £5 notes.

The euro also means you do not have dual currency tills in many places as in the past, where near borders, 2 or more currencies were regularly accepted e.g. France/Belgium or Austria/ Germany. Now in these places prefer card payments, for travellers other currencies are less available , especially outside London. Travellers chequers are no longer really used.

 

On top of this is still the issue of Americans especially who want to pay in $US, which may be accepted at a few international type shops, but usually at a terrible rate.

 

Half price tkts theatre ticket booth in London used to be a cash payment location, now accepts cards and when there recently was the only person paying cash. In France last summer had built up o lot of small shrapnel, went into banks to try to change over to €1/€2 coins, they had no facility for this at all, just payment points and ATM's, no old fashioned counters and few staff, just a banking hall rather than an ATM's in the street and one troubleshooting person helping at the machines, many PO's are also automated.

 

Rapid changes in this area, all travellers need to be aware.

We are taking a Baltic cruise this July from Stockholm to Dover. We will be spending some time in London post cruise.We plan to bring our AM EX and Capitol One Visa, Euro's and Dollars.

My question is where do you get small bills or change for tipping? Do you normally add tips to the credit card? In the USA our tipping practice is normally to leave cash even when we pay with a credit card.That way we are sure the money gets to that person.

Kathy

We are taking a Baltic cruise this July from Stockholm to Dover. We will be spending some time in London post cruise.We plan to bring our AM EX and Capitol One Visa, Euro's and Dollars.

My question is where do you get small bills or change for tipping? Do you normally add tips to the credit card? In the USA our tipping practice is normally to leave cash even when we pay with a credit card.That way we are sure the money gets to that person.

Kathy

AM EX is not as popular a card in Europe/UK as Visa or Mastercard. (The highest end restaurants and stores are more likely to accept AM EX) Since you will be bringing a Visa, you'll have a back-up, but I just wanted you to be aware of the potential for some AM EX refusals.

The five pound bill is the smallest paper money. Any currency smaller than that is a coin, including 1- and 2-pound coins. We get small bills and coins from buying something with cash and getting change. I assume you could get smaller bills and coins from any bank.

Incidentally, you haven't mentioned whether your credit cards charge/do not charge a fee for foreign transactions. Those fees can mount up if every time you charge something your credit card company tacks on additional charges to your monthly bill.

Will back up about Am-ex, not as widely accepted in UK.

Also usually tips are not as prevalent in Europe, most restaurants have an included service charge, so no tip needed. In the Baltic, tipping is not the norm either. In UK you will see a rounding up culture but not tipping as wages are high and the hand out culture is not found. With cc's tips are on the card if at all, not cash. You will find that increasingly its a cashless society, with contactless cards widely used even for small purchases like coffee shops. If you have a debit card and ATM's, this would be useful.

Nowadays, Swish is also starting to become pretty common in Sweden. http://www.thelocal.se/20121219/45172

Thanks for the info, Hank. I was warned almost a year ago that on this upcoming trip we would not be able to use credit cards with magnetic strips. In addition, very quickly, almost every retail business here in NC that takes credit cards is not asking people to use chip cards (if they have them).

 

ALL of our credit cards and my debit card have the chip.

 

Thanks again.

Do you have chip/pin or chip/signature cards? Our Chase Mileage Plus don't have pins, and when we were in Rotterdam last year we couldn't get train tickets to Amsterdam because the machines required a pin. We stood in a very long line to buy tickets from an agent for over an hour only to realize that at the rate the line was moving we wouldn't make it to Amsterdam until very late. This thread has reminded me that I need to call Chase and see when pin cards will be available.

This thread has reminded me that I need to call Chase and see when pin cards will be available.

Don't hold your breath for a Chip and PIN Chase card. After all, Chase is one of the big US banks who batted down Europe's insistence that US begin issuing cards with PIN numbers.

Instead, see if you qualify for a credit card issued by Credit Unions. Begin by checking the ones where the members are likely to be traveling overseas (e.g. Pentagon Credit Union, Navy Federal Credit Union, etc.) Based on what I'm reading online, true PIN cards are available through several of those credit unions. We've had a true PIN card for at least a year. However, the reality is that we have used our PIN only once since we received it -- in Stockholm at the VASA museum ticket machine. (Manned ticket sales were available for those who do not have a PIN with their credit card.)

I well understand that cash is not greatly used in Northern Europe as my daughters lived in the UK for five years each. I also know that cash is still the preferred option in much of Southern Europe as we have spent a lot of time in Italy.

In Australia many merchants like cash as they lose a percentage of their profits on credit card fee, perhaps it is the same in Southern Europe.

We had no problem using cash in Europe recently nor did we have many problems with credit cards, except where they would not take the credit/debit. We have a chip and pin as does almost everyone here. Surprisingly to us, we often had to sign when using the card.

Using public transport is becoming a bit of a nightmare for casual tourists in many places. You can rarely just pay cash. I am not sure how I would get a bus here in Sydney without my opal card much less in somewhere like Rotterdam. Our friends when we were there just gave up and walked as they could not figure out how to get a tram ticket. It was actually nice in Italy on the autostradas as they still had some cash lanes.

We have some Euros left over from our last trip so we will bring those, but plan to withdraw Rubles..., but hope to avoid withdrawing Swedish or Danish kroner and make do with credit cards there.

Is it appropriate to tip Russian guides and drivers in dollars or euros, or do they prefer rubles? Are dollars and euros difficult for Russians to exchange?

Is it appropriate to tip Russian guides and drivers in dollars or euros, or do they prefer rubles? Are dollars and euros difficult for Russians to exchange?

I contacted the tour company I'm using in St. Petersburg and they said dollars are ok - just make sure they nice crisp new bills as the banks there won't take "used" bills.

Is it appropriate to tip Russian guides and drivers in dollars or euros, or do they prefer rubles? Are dollars and euros difficult for Russians to exchange?

Since Russians do not generally tip...they will be happy to get anything :). But the info posted is correct in that they are happy with nice clean US Dollars, or Euros. Rubles are also fine.

Hank